Six of the previous year’s most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs carried Kendrick Lamar’s writing credit, giving his GNX run another measurable win beyond streaming charts and awards-season trophies. BMI named Lamar its 2026 R&B/Hip-Hop Songwriter of the Year during its ceremony in Los Angeles day ago, recognizing a group of records that continued circulating well beyond the album’s initial release.
Five of the six songs came from GNX. “Luther,” “hey now,” “peekaboo,” “squabble up,” and “tv off” were all among BMI’s most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs from the previous year. SZA’s “30 for 30,” featuring Lamar, completed the group. BMI’s songwriter honors are tied to performance activity within its repertoire, making the award less about a single breakout record and more about how much of Lamar’s recent writing remained in rotation.
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“Luther” also secured R&B/Hip-Hop Song of the Year for Lamar and its other credited writers. The SZA collaboration had already received BMI Pop Song of the Year earlier in 2026, extending the song’s reach across two of the organization’s major genre ceremonies. Moreover, its chart run was just as pronounced. “Luther” spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the Recording Academy awarded it Record of the Year at the 2026 Grammys.
Meanwhile, Lamar’s songwriter honor was one of several major awards presented that night. Nas received the BMI Icon Award, the ceremony’s highest distinction, while O Lil Angel was named Producer of the Year and Sony Music Publishing earned Publisher of the Year. BMI recognized 35 of the previous year’s most-performed R&B/Hip-Hop songs during the ceremony.
